Question

What did the 3/5 compromise do?

Answer 1

The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement made during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in the United States. It addressed the issue of how enslaved individuals would be counted for purposes of taxation and representation in Congress. Specifically, the compromise stipulated that each enslaved person would be counted as three-fifths of a person when apportioning representation in the House of Representatives and for tax purposes.

This compromise was significant for several reasons:

1. **Balancing Interests**: It was a way to bridge the divide between Northern states, where slavery was less prevalent and there was a push to count only free individuals for representation, and Southern states, which wanted to count enslaved people fully to increase their political power.

2. **Political Impact**: The compromise gave Southern states greater congressional representation than they would have had if enslaved people were not counted at all, thereby influencing national policies and politics.

3. **Moral and Ethical Implications**: The compromise entrenched the practice of slavery in the U.S. political system, reflecting the moral compromises that were made regarding human rights at the time.

The Three-Fifths Compromise was eventually rendered moot by the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery in 1865.